American dream

making it a home away from home. Until that phone call from the police, informing Dumala that her husband had been shot.

“My brother and his wife’s American dream has been cut short,’’ said Satish K, Kuchibhotla’s cousin, at the latter’s home in Springwoodsatbachupally,ontheoutskirtsof Hyderabad.

Kuchibhotla’sfather,madhusudhanraok, aretiredseniorchemistfromindiandrugsand Pharmaceuticalsltd,andhismother,vardhini, werelookingforwardtovisitingtheirtwosons intheussoon.lateonwednesdaynight,some other family members left for the US to bring his body back.

“His mother has been unwell since last evening, after hearing the news. His father keeps saying he can’t believe this has happened,’’ said Satish. “His wife and brother are in shock. The Telugu Association of North America (TANA) is helping to make arrangements to bring the body here as soon as possible,” he said.

Kuchibhotlawenttotheusinjuly2005for a Master’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso,afterdoinghisbtechfromthejawaharlal Nehrutechnologicaluniversityaffiliatedvidya Jyothiinstituteoftechnology,hyderabad.after completinghismaster’sindecember2007,he worked as a teaching assistant and research assistant at the University of Texas.

In January 2008, he was picked up by Rockwellcollinsandwentontobecomeaseniorsystemsengineerthere.injanuary2014,he joinedgarmininternational,wherehewasan aviation programs engineer.

At both Rockwell Collins and Garmin International, Kuchibhotla and his wife became a part of a large group of friends, including many Telugu couples. One of them, Alok Reddymadasani,waswithkuchibhotlawhen they were attacked, and also suffered injuries. Madasani, whose family hails from Warangal but now lives in Dilsukhnagar, has since been discharged from hospital.

A relative of Madasani said the shooter, Adam Purinton, made racist remarks. “Alok said that they first ignored him, but when he started pointing at them and abused them, he drew the attention of the pub manager, who threw him (Printon) out. He left, but returned withinafewminuteswitharevolver...srinivas receivedseveralbulletinjuriesanddiedonthe way to hospital. Alok has been released from hospital and is resting at his home,’’ said the relative.